It's a Working Progress
by yoyoitsjustvictoria
Summary: Bringing home a girl can really change one's perspectives as Dan is beginning to realise. To his dismay, Phil is changing at her expense and, after a bad choice, a dark argument and a serious falling out between the two, it may take a while to sort things out, especially when the truth makes the whole thing a lot messier. PHANPHANOMGPHAN


Closing the door harder than he had intended to with his foot, Dan hopped across the hallway gracelessly towards the stairs. He hadn't realised how much of an obstacle course his flat was whilst carrying five overloading plastic bags and having an itchy nose. Dropping the bags would mean broken eggs and spilt milk over his new converses, placing the bags down would hurt his dignity (and Phil would never let him go a day without being teased over breaking his bag holding record) and the last option, calling Phil to help him, was also out of the question.

Oh, but his nose! Leaping delicately, as much as one could whilst trying to juggle weights of death, across the stairs, he tried to blow up his face. This only made it feel worse and, if things just couldn't get any better, he could feel a sneeze coming on, and he knew it was going to be disastrous. Actually, thinking about it, if an average sneeze could ruin their carpet with milk and butter then his sneeze would cause mass destruction of the walls and ceiling as well. You see, he had to admit; he doesn't have what's known as an average sneeze. In fact, Phil claims it can be heard from their old flat in Manchester. The landlord would probably not want to have an omelette made on the floor.

This meant serious business and so, like a pro, Dan hopped up them stairs two at a time, as many assume pros do. Halfway through the first set, he felt his lungs throbbing and his breath came short and loud. The milk bounced dangerously around and the cheese was close to falling out. The fajitas were bobbing up and down perilously and the secret stash of freddos were starting to be seen from where they were previously hidden behind the cornflakes. Time was running out, Dan realised, but he still had another flight of stairs and the business of unlocking their flat door.

He felt confident until he heard a light, but clear rip in one of the bags. Looking down, he saw the fajitas poking through the gap at the bottom of the bag and fear ran through him like a shower of cold rain. Holding his breath until he saw his door, he gratefully exhaled and rushed towards it. Looking down he realised that his struggle wasn't over yet as he wondered how he was going to unlock the door.

"Phil?" He called through the door in hope that his friend wasn't inconveniently in the shower or something. "Phil!"

Desperately he knocked the door using his forehead as a makeshift fist and regretted it immediately. It hurt and sounded the exact same as a polystyrene racoon being thrown at the door, which- actually wow, he thought, he must really have damaged his head if that was the best metaphor he could make in a time of dire need.

But, to his delight, his sad polystyrene racoon attempt worked and in moments, the door swung open and Phil's face peered at the emotional mess that was Dan and his shopping bags.

"Jeez, Dan. Do you need any help?" Unable to reply from having brain damage, Dan shook his head and groaned as he passed Phil.

He nodded understandingly and then laughed as he watched Dan desperately waddle with the weight of the bags into their kitchen. "Still haven't broken your record?" He asked, messing his hair and yawning.

With a massive sigh of relief, Dan chucked the bags over the counter and stretched out his arms and fingers, wincing as he turned to look at Phil. "Nope, I'm champion of carrying bags as always. But don't forget, it's your turn to do this next week." Smiling sweetly, he began to unpack.

"Sure." Phil shrugged as Dan began to hurriedly move across the kitchen. Without helping, he grabbed the closest box of shreddies and began to munch on them loudly. Without noticing Dan turned around and stopped in horror at the sight of Phil guiltily pulling his hand out of the box.

Snatching the box out of a scared looking Phil's hand, he hissed in a dangerously low tone. "I just bought this, what on earth do you think you're doing?"

"Just easting a snack?" Phil unhelpfully suggested, Dan glared at him furiously before turning to hide the cereal on the highest shelf. "But I'm hungry!" Phil pleaded, instantly turning his face into puppy face mode.

"Get a bowl! Or, easily enough, stop eating my cereal!" Dan fumed, loudly putting the fajitas in the freezer from irritation.

"I'm sorry?" Phil tried, beginning to help put the bread away in the hopes of getting on Dan's good side.

"Swear he never learns. Sorry? Sorry my-" Dan muttered under his breath as he moved around.

"Wait, since when did you get freddos?" Phil asked, frowning at the mega deluxe package in his hands. Guiltily, Dan looked up and plucked the bag from his hands.

"Since never!" He said quickly and dived away from Phil, rolling awkwardly towards his room.

"But that's not fair!" Phil yelled after his retreating figure. "Why do you get to have a stash of freddos and I can't even have a mouthful of shreddies without being in trouble?"

"Because!" The voice called from down the corridor. "I say so and I was the one who carried the bags in!"

Phil yawned again. "Fine." Phil surrendered. "I'm going to go shower. I have some plans for tonight."

From the door, Dan's head poked out towards the side. "What plans?" He asked.

Phil ducked his head. "Just... going out." He replied shyly, avoiding Dan's look of curiosity.

Dan raised his eyebrows knowingly at the blushing face of Phil's. "You're just going out... and showering?" He shook his head and grinned slyly. "You're seeing a girl tonight, aren't you?"

"Well," Phil began. "No-er-well-maybe-yes?"

"Good for you." Dan smiled, stepping back into the kitchen. "Off you go then. What are your plans for tonight?"

"She wanted to see the new Catching Fire movie. It does look pretty good." Phil admitted and closed the cupboard door under the watchful eye of Dan.

Shame, he thought to himself hiding his disappointment, he wanted to go see that with Phil sometime that week. "Sounds good." He told Phil politely. "I better go plan for a quiet evening in then."

"You don't mind, do you?" Phil asked, feeling guilty at the idea of Dan spending the entire night alone.

"No, don't be silly, Phil." He laughed, I'll be fine.

Safe to say, however, he wasn't fine. It was an evening of destruction. First the toaster blew up on him causing the fire alarm to go off but, thankfully, the fire brigade didn't barge through his door otherwise he would have died form embarrassment. Secondly, he accidently sat on the freddos and so goodbye, chocolate, goodbye that pair of jeans. And then, as if things couldn't get any worse, he was worried about Phil.

Phil's night time routine isn't like Dan's. Phil is good. Phil sleeps at reasonable times, unlike Dan. Dan goes to sleep at four in the morning after spending all night on various websites casually stalking people.

So when it was one in the morning and there was no sign from Phil, Dan knew he should probably start worrying right about now. In fact, tonight, Dan was hardly beginning to recognise Phil anymore after mentioning the girl. After showering, he came down with his fringe brushed back and was wearing a really smart shirt that Dan knew for a fact he hated and only wore on special occasions. Before he left, he put a blazer on. A _blazer. _Dan knew in that moment that there was something wrong and now, after hearing no text or phone call, he was beginning to really worry.

Picking up his phone, he began to start texting Phil.

_Hey, where are you?_

_Dude, are you okay?_

_If you've been abducted then should I call the FEDS?_

_I'm too lazy to even _try_ and track you, where are you?_

_Can you answer me?_

_BEJBGWEB_

_WBJTOKQE0 JGWEGKNWOKTW_

_WNJKGWJOQPRTWTG_

_FNQWKBF_

_No? Fine, I can squiggle all night long until I get a reply._

_EWIHTGWEBGW_

_GNWEN_

Beginning to feel his eyes drifting, he gave up and wrote a note on the fridge in case Phil returned whilst he was asleep: _If you're reading this then yay, you weren't abducted, nay, you didn't reply to my texts. Also, I broke the toaster. Long story. Dan._

Slowly, he walked into his room and dived under the covers, desperately checking his phone once more in the hopes of receiving a reply from Phil but he was without luck and fell asleep in a haze of worry for his best friend.

**A/N: So when will the next update be? I have no idea. What's happening with the story? I don't know, I'm kind of scared. Any questions? Leave me a comment and I will probably have no idea but I'll still love you for said comment. **

**_Ciao for now!_**


End file.
